CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S SPEECH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 000418





DEPT FOR AF/W

LONDON FOR YOUNG



E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR

TAGS: PREL, GA

SUBJ: CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S SPEECH



1. (U) THIS CABLE TRANSMITS CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S SPEECH

TO THE GAMBIAN PEOPLE ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF

THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE FOR A TWO YEAR

TIMETABLE FOR RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC RULE. HIGHLIGHTS

OF THE SPEECH INCLUDE:



-- CHAIRMAN JAMMEH REJECTED THE SUGGESTION FOR AN

INTERIM GOVERNMENT. QUOTE THERE ALREADY EXISTS AN

INTERIM GOVERNMENT WITH A LARGE CIVILIAN MAJORITY OF

TWO TO ONE, AND THERE IS NO LOGICAL REASON FOR

FORMING A NEW ONE. END QUOTE.



-- THE NCC RECOMMENDED THAT A REFERENDUM NOT BE HELD

TO RATIFY THE NEW CONSTITUTION. CHAIRMAN JAMMEH HAS

DECIDED TO RETAIN THE REFERENDUM.



-- THE CHAIRMAN CRITICIZED THE DONORS FOR APPLYING

QUOTE LIMITED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GAMBIA

UNQUOTE AND APPEALED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

TO QUOTE RESUME THEIR NORMAL POSITIVE ROLE AS

DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS UNQUOTE.



2. (U) BEGIN TEXT:



FELLOW GAMBIANS !

ON THE 27TH OF JANUARY I FORMALLY RECEIVED THE REPORT OF

THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE. I DESCRIBED THE

EVENT AS ANOTHER MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARMED FORCES PROVISIONAL RULING

COUNCIL'S PROGRAM AND TIMETABLE FOR RETURN TO CIVILIAN

RULE. TWO FURTHER STEPS OF EVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE

HAVE SINCE BEEN TAKEN. BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE CABINET

HAVE NOW CONSIDERED THE REPORT.



ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCHING OF THE PROGRAM AND

TIMETABLE ON THE 24TH OF OCTOBER, 1994, I PROMISED THAT

THEY WERE SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS. A FEW OF YOU EXPRESSED

YOUR VIEWS IN THE PAPERS AND IN OTHER WAYS. BUT THE

OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF YOU DID NOT PUBLICLY EXPRESS

YOUR VIEWS.



ON THE 13TH OF DECEMBER, 1994, THE NOW FAMILIAR NATIONAL

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WAS COMMISSIONED TO SOUND YOUR

OPINION, NATIONWIDE. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY THANKS AND

APPRECIATION, AND THOSE OF COUNCIL, FOR YOUR WILLING AND

PATRIOTIC PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPORTANT CONSULTATIONS

CARRIED OUT BY THE COMMITTEE. I SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY

TO THANK YOU ONCE MORE.



IN FAIRNESS TO BOTH YOU, THE PEOPLE OF THE GAMBIA, AND

TO THE ARMED FORCES PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL, THE

NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTED THE

ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME YOU ACCORDED TO THE BLOODLESS

MILITARY TAKEOVER, AND YOUR HAPPINESS THAT THREE DECADES

OF SELF-PERPETUATING RULE BY ONE POLITICAL PARTY WAS

OVERTURNED. THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT YOU ACCORDED

LEGITIMACY AND EVEN BLESSINGS TO THE COUP.



THE COMMITTEE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO PROTECT YOU,

THE PEOPLE, AND THE NATION, AGAINST THE EXPLOITATION AND

MANIPULATION YOU SUFFERED DURING THE PAST THIRTY YEARS.

THE NEED FOR CIVIC EDUCATION PROVIDED FOR IN COUNCIL'S

PROGRAM IS ENDORSED IN THE REPORT, AND SO ARE THE

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AND ELECTORAL REVIEWS. THE

COMMITTEE WAS ALSO IN ACCORD WITH THE PROPOSED REVIEW OF

CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES AND THE VOTERS REGISTRATION

SYSTEM. THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT

ELECTORAL COMMISSION IS STRONGLY ENDORSED IN THE REPORT

AS LONG OVERDUE.



THE REPORT ALSO REFLECTS THE EMPHASIS YOU PLACE ON THE

NEED TO COMPLETE THE WORK OF THE FIVE COMMISSIONS OF

INQUIRY INTO PUBLIC OFFICERS' ASSETS, GOVERNMENT

DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC CORPORATIONS, LAND ADMINISTRATION,

AND DONATED CRUDE AND REFINED OIL. MANY SPEAKERS AT THE

COMMITTEE'S VILLAGE MEETINGS ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN

EXTREMELY PASSIONATE, AND OTHERS VIVIDLY AGITATED, WHEN

ECHOING THE COUNCIL'S DEMAND THAT EVERY BUTUT STOLEN

FROM GOVERNMENT BE RECOVERED.



AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, YOU HELD DIVERGENT VIEWS AS

FAR AS THE DURATION OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD WAS

CONCERNED. THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT,

AND I WILL COME BACK TO IT LATER IN THIS BROADCAST.

IN THE MEANTIME, I NOW TURN TO WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAD TO

SAY ABOUT OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS. THE REPORT RIGHTLY

REFLECTS THE FACT THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS HAD

APPLIED LIMITED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GAMBIA IN

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THE MILITARY TAKEOVER. THEY HAD

ALSO, FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FOUR YEAR

TIMETABLE, APPLIED FURTHER SANCTIONS IN THE FORM OF A

TRAVEL ADVICE AGAINST VACATION IN THE GAMBIA, RESULTING

IN MASSIVE REDUNDANCIES IN THE TOURIST SECTOR, AND

CONSIDERABLE LOSS OF REVENUE OTHERWISE DUE TO THE

GOVERNMENT. THIS RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE OF VIRTUALLY

ALL THE HOTELS, THEREBY CAUSING CONSIDERABLE HARDSHIP

FOR MANY OF YOU. IT WAS A MATTER OF GREAT REGRET THAT

WHILE THE INTRICATE AND TIME CONSUMING ARRANGEMENTS WERE

BEING MADE TO SET UP THE COMMISSIONS, PREPARE THE

TRANSITION PROGRAM AND TIMETABLE, AND CARRY OUT THE

NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS, OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

UNILATERALLY DECIDED THAT THE PROPOSED FOUR YEAR

TRANSITION PERIOD WAS TOO LONG, AND IMPOSED THE SAID

SANCTIONS WHICH CAUSED SO MUCH HARDSHIP. THE COMMITTEE

CANNOT BE BLAMED FOR CONCLUDING THAT THIS UNDESERVED

PUNITIVE MEASURE IS MERELY BECAUSE THE GAMBIA IS DEVOID

OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE.



IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE TOURIST INDUSTRY, CONSIDERABLE

EFFORT WAS MADE BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND

TOURISM TO ATTRACT TOURISTS FROM OTHER EUROPEAN

COUNTRIES. INTERESTED TOUR OPERATORS VISITED THE GAMBIA,

AND EXPRESSED THEIR INTENTION TO BRING IN TOURISTS NEXT

SEASON. IN THE MEANTIME, A SMALL NUMBER OF TOURISTS

CONTINUED TO COME FROM THE TRADITIONAL CATCHMENT AREA,

MAINLY IN BRITAIN, THANKS TO THE UNDERSTANDING AND

COOPERATION OF THE TOUR OPERATORS THE GAMBIA EXPERIENCE,

WHO DECLINED TO JOIN THE APPARENT BOYCOTT. THIS

ENCOURAGING GESTURE, AT THE TIME OF THE CRITICAL AND

UNEXPECTED ECONOMIC SITUATION DESCRIBED EARLIER, WAS,

AND STILL IS, DEEPLY APPRECIATED.



WHILE DETERMINED EFFORTS WERE BEING MADE TO PROTECT THE

TOURIST INDUSTRY, THE VARIOUS TRANSITION ACTIVITIES I

HAVE JUST REFERRED TO WERE GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE

OUTCOME OF THIS TWO PRONG APPROACH HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL

ONE. IN ADDITION TO THE PROSPECT OF ADDITIONAL TOUR

OPERATORS, AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SWEDISH TRAVEL

ADVICE, THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE CONCLUDED

ITS WORK AND SUBMITTED ITS REPORT.



MANY OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS TALLY WITH THE

PROVISIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN COUNCIL'S PROGRAM AND

TIMETABLE. THE MAIN EXCEPTIONS ARE THE AREA OF FORMING

AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT AND THE ADVICE TO HOLD NO

REFERENDUM.



THERE ALREADY EXISTS AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT WITH A LARGE

CIVILIAN MAJORITY OF TWO TO ONE, AND THERE IS NO LOGICAL

REASON FOR FORMING A NEW ONE.



AS FOR THE HOLDING OF A REFERENDUM A NUMBER OF CLAUSES

IN THE GAMBIAN CONSTITUTION, STILL IN FORCE, CALL FOR A

REFERENDUM BEFORE MAJOR AMENDMENTS ARE MADE. THE

INTRODUCTION OF A NEW CONSTITUTION WOULD THEREFORE MAKE

A REFERENDUM EVEN MORE DESIRABLE. FURTHERMORE, NO

CONSTITUTION OF THIS COUNTRY WAS EVER PUT TO YOU THE

PEOPLE FOR ADOPTION. THE NEW CONSTITUTION SHOULD

THEREFORE BE VOTED UPON IN A REFERENDUM.



THE MAIN ISSUE ON WHICH THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE

COMMITTEE WAS CREATED TO ADVISE WAS THE DURATION OF THE

TRANSITION PERIOD- IN THIS REGARD THE COMMITTEE

RECOMMENDED A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS WITH EFFECT FROM THE

22ND OF JULY, 1994. I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU, THAT

HAVING CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE COMMITTEE'S OBSERVATIONS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE

PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND, IN PARTICULAR, YOUR BEST

INTERESTS, COUNCIL AND THE CABINET HAVE ACCEPTED THIS

RECOMMENDATION.





FELLOW GAMBIANS!

WITH THE ISSUE OF THE TIMETABLE FINALLY BEHIND US, WE

SHOULD NOW TURN OUR ATTENTION, WHOLLY, TO NATIONAL

UNITY, AND TO THE FORMIDABLE TASK OF DEVELOPING THE

MOTHERLAND. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS IN OUR PROGRAM. THE MOST URGENT ONES INCLUDE

THE AUGMENTATION OF THE GENERATING CAPACITY OF KOTU

POWER STATION. THERE ARE ALSO A FEW ROAD AND SCHOOL

BUILDING PROJECTS. SOMETHING SHOULD ALSO BE DONE FOR THE

EASANT FARMERS AND THE YOUTHS. THE TRANSITION

ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE COMMISSIONS, THE VARIOUS REVIEWS,

REGISTRATION OF VOTERS, AND GENERAL AND PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTIONS ARE ALSO THERE.



I APPEAL TO ALL OF YOU TO PLAY YOUR PART IN THE NATIONAL

EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES.



I ALSO APPEAL AGAIN TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AS I

DID AT OUR NEW YEAR MEETING, TO RESUME THEIR NORMAL,

POSITIVE ROLE AS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS. THERE IS A LOT OF

WORK TO BE DONE DURING THE SHORT TRANSITION PERIOD, AND

THE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE OF OUR DEVELOPMENT

PARTNERS WOULD FACILITATE AND ENHANCE RAPID PROGRESS.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.



GOD BLESS YOU !

LONG LIVE THE SECOND REPUBLIC !





3. (C) COMMENT: AT A RECEPTION ON FEBRUARY 4

AMBASSADOR SAW JUSTICE MINISTER MBYE, SECRETARY

GENERAL WADDA, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE NCC PETERS. IN

SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS, ALL WERE VERY EUPHORIC OF

CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE NCC'S

RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH REFLECTED THE WILL OF THE

PEOPLE. AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT IT WAS PREFERABLE

THAT THE CHAIRMAN HAD ACCEPTED RATHER THAN REJECTED

THE NCC RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT POLITELY AND FIRMLY TOLD

THEM THAT TWO YEARS WAS TOO LONG AND THAT A

DEMOCRATIC REFERENDUM ON THE LENGTH OF THE TIMETABLE

HAD NOT TAKEN PLACE. THEY SEEMED SURPRISED AT THE

AMBASSADOR'S NEGATIVE RESPONSE. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE

BEEN. AS WE WILL REPORT BY SEPTEL, THE EU AND UK

REPRESENTATIVES WERE ALSO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE TWO

YEAR TIMETABLE.





WINTER